UK Abandons $1.15 Billion Mozambique Gas Project Amid Climate and Terror Concerns
The UK government has pulled its lucrative support package of $1.15 billion, worth £870 million, for a contentious gas project in Mozambique that has long been plagued by concerns over human rights abuses, security threats, and environmental degradation.
The decision to withdraw British backing comes as the project's developer, French oil giant TotalEnergies, is poised to revive the embattled scheme. The UK's export finance body, UK Export Finance (Ukef), made the move after a comprehensive assessment found that supporting the project would not align with the nation's interests.
The package was initially agreed upon in 2020, amidst intense opposition from environmental groups and lawmakers who argued it contradicted the government's climate commitments. The concerns about the project have only intensified since then, with an Islamist insurgency attacking a nearby town in 2021, resulting in over 800 deaths.
Critics have long accused the project of perpetuating human rights abuses and exacerbating the climate crisis by extracting fossil fuels from one of Africa's most vulnerable nations. Green groups, including Friends of the Earth, have called for greater investment in renewable energy to promote sustainable development in Mozambique.
The UK government has acknowledged that the risks surrounding the project have increased since its inception. Business Secretary Peter Kyle stated that UK taxpayers would no longer be supporting a scheme deemed detrimental to British interests.
TotalEnergies was unavailable for comment as the news emerged, leaving only speculation about the future of the beleaguered gas project.
The UK government has pulled its lucrative support package of $1.15 billion, worth £870 million, for a contentious gas project in Mozambique that has long been plagued by concerns over human rights abuses, security threats, and environmental degradation.
The decision to withdraw British backing comes as the project's developer, French oil giant TotalEnergies, is poised to revive the embattled scheme. The UK's export finance body, UK Export Finance (Ukef), made the move after a comprehensive assessment found that supporting the project would not align with the nation's interests.
The package was initially agreed upon in 2020, amidst intense opposition from environmental groups and lawmakers who argued it contradicted the government's climate commitments. The concerns about the project have only intensified since then, with an Islamist insurgency attacking a nearby town in 2021, resulting in over 800 deaths.
Critics have long accused the project of perpetuating human rights abuses and exacerbating the climate crisis by extracting fossil fuels from one of Africa's most vulnerable nations. Green groups, including Friends of the Earth, have called for greater investment in renewable energy to promote sustainable development in Mozambique.
The UK government has acknowledged that the risks surrounding the project have increased since its inception. Business Secretary Peter Kyle stated that UK taxpayers would no longer be supporting a scheme deemed detrimental to British interests.
TotalEnergies was unavailable for comment as the news emerged, leaving only speculation about the future of the beleaguered gas project.
just got out the news and i'm kinda surprised lol. always knew there were some major concerns surrounding that project but i thought the UK would've been all in on it by now 
like, £870 million is a pretty sweet deal for any country. guess not this time tho 
. hope it sends a signal to other countries and investors about the risks of supporting projects with sketchy human rights records 
. would've been great if they'd invested in renewables instead tho 
, Mozambique really does need that kinda support 
The UK finally came to their senses and dropped the bombshell on that disastrous Mozambique gas project 
TotalEnergies was already a questionable player, let alone the fact that it's in Africa where they're literally extracting fossil fuels like crazy 
It's no wonder environmental groups and lawmakers were all over it from the start. And can we talk about how messed up it is that they're just going to let the project pick up where the UK left off? I mean, aren't there enough concerns already without adding in more investors? 
The climate crisis is real and this is just another example of how fossil fuels are perpetuating the problem 
At least now we can hope for a shift towards renewable energy and sustainable development 
. I also feel bad for the people living near the project site, they're being put through so much hardship 
. Can't we think bigger than just energy production? What's a better way to support sustainable development in Mozambique - investing in renewable energy or...?
. 1.15 billion bucks is a lot of cash, but not worth risking the lives of those people in Mozambique and damaging the planet for the sake of profits. climate change is real, let's focus on renewable energy instead 
. I mean, 800+ deaths from an insurgency? That's just devastating 
. And now with all the focus on renewables, it's like, who wouldn't want to invest in a sustainable future instead of digging up fossil fuels and risking human rights abuses 
.